February 22, 2002

Many MGHers have been receiving something strange in their mailboxes and e-mail folders lately. Unlike the usual stack of unwanted but harmless junk mail, letters tied to a "floating fund" scam put recipients at risk of significant financial damage.

In these letters — which are being sent through postal mail and e-mail — the author identifies him- or herself as a dignitary or minister from Nigeria, the Ivory Coast or South Africa. The author then asks for permission to receive access to an existing or new bank account for the purpose of transferring a large sum of money (usually more than $100 million). The writer claims that the money is in a "floating fund" whose owner has passed away. Assuming a pleading tone, the author asks to be contacted to make arrangements for the transfer, stating that no one has come forward to claim the "floating fund" and that all money will be lost if the transfer does not take place. The letter recipient is offered a large percentage of the total transfer amount in exchange for helping.

What the author is attempting to accomplish by gaining access to recipients’ bank accounts, however, is nothing more than stealing their money. Once access to a victim’s account is granted, all of the money in the account will be withdrawn, leaving the owner with nothing.

The MGH Police and Security Department’s Special Investigations Unit urges MGHers not to be alarmed if they receive this type of correspondence, but also not to send any reply. Instead, employees should forward the letters to an MGH investigator for review.

MGH Police and Security investigative manager John Daley and investigators Jim Leonard, Mark Bruso and Matthew Thomas have been in contact with several federal law enforcement agencies in reference to the scam. They have been asked to forward all e-mails to the FBI and all U.S. mail to the U.S. Postal Inspector. Both agencies are conducting active investigations into the matter. Thomas notes, "The more information we can provide to these agencies, the more we can increase their chances of successfully apprehending the individuals involved in this scam."

For more information, call Police and Security at (617) 726-2121. Suspicious e-mails should be forwarded to mdthomas@partners.org, jcleonard@partners.org, mbruso@partners.org or jjdaley@partners.org.